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Three British men have been arrested following the kidnap of a cryptocurrency broker in Spain.
The broker was taken hostage two weeks after a chance meeting in Marbella, on the Costa-del-Sol.
The man, who is also British, accepted a drinks invite to an apartment in the nearby resort of Estepona, where it is thought the alleged kidnappers had been living temporarily.
Once there he was told to hand over 30,000 Euros (£25,000) in crypto currency from his customers’ accounts or be tortured and killed.
The 34-year-old then pretended to call a customer to give him half the code he needed to access his crypto wallet – but instead called a friend in London and told him he was being held against his will.
He said he spoke in Hindi so the captors wouldn’t understand.
The friend alerted the victim’s mum, who called police. Spanish police then launched a search to find the property where he was being held, which initially they only knew was in the Estepona area.
Heavily-armed officers managed to track down the apartment and were preparing to call in specialist reinforcements when the broker took advantage of a momentary lapse in concentration by his alleged abductors to escape.
The broker ran and jumped more than 30 feet from a balcony, breaking his ankles in the process.
Police have released footage showing officers moving in as the men thought to be the kidnappers tried to speed off in an Audi.
Officers found more than 10,000 Euros (£8,000) during a search of the apartment as well as two guns, three knives and 25 grams of pink cocaine.
The three Brits, who have not been named, have all been remanded to prison following a court appearance.
The National Police in Malaga said: ‘Three men have arrested on suspicion of kidnap, wounding, membership of a criminal organisation, unlawful weapons possession and drugs trafficking.
‘They are now in prison following a court appearance.
‘The investigation began when officers were informed about the kidnap on February 1.
‘Detectives managed to locate the residential estate where they believed the victim was being held.
‘During the police operation established to locate the apartment, officers saw several nervous-looking men going to and fro between the inside of the property and an outside terrace.
‘Moments later they witnessed another man who turned out to be the kidnap victim jumping from the terrace to the ground.
‘He was taken to hospital so he could be treated for the injuries he suffered in the fall.
‘The three suspects were arrested in a high-powered vehicle.
‘Two firearms hidden in kitchen cupboards, almost 10,000 Euros, a money counting machine, three knives including one butterfly knife, two designer watches and 25 grams of pink cocaine as well as a weighing scale were found during a search of the apartment.’
Police sources confirmed all four men were British.
The kidnappers allegedly tied their victim up and threatened to kill him during his ordeal unless he accessed his clients’ crypto wallets and stole their money.
It’s believed they got talking during a chance meeting at a Marbella hotel a fortnight earlier – and ended up having a meal together.
A fortnight later he accepted an invite to drinks at their property in Estepona, it’s understood, where he was held hostage.
Police suspect they planned their crime after the broker told them what he did for a living and they realised he was earning well and had access to large amounts of cryptocurrency.
Their victim was assaulted during his ordeal but didn’t suffer the torture they said they would inflict on him if he didn’t pay them the amount they were demanding.
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